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Last Updated on July 8, 2025 by Pen Pixel
I know what it means to be tired. Not sleepy. Not groggy and not “I need a nap.”
I mean the kind of tired that lives inside your bones. The kind that makes you question everything, your worth, your choices, your entire life.
I’ve woken up feeling like I never even slept. I’ve stared at the ceiling at 3 AM with a beating heart and a blank mind praying to God to make me sleep.
The Key Takeaway.
Sleep deprivation slowly shreds your mind. It makes you lose your softness. Your patience. Your spark. You become a glitchy version of yourself, walking around with fried circuits and fake smiles. And the worst part? Most of us don’t even realize it’s the lack of sleep that’s ruining everything.
What Is Sleep Deprivation?
It’s not just “not getting enough sleep.” Sleep deprivation is you living in a body that hasn’t fully shut down in days, a body that’s trying to function on fumes, while your brain is lowkey buffering like a bad Wi-Fi connection. It’s when the world feels too loud, your thoughts feel too fast, and your emotions are all over the place.
Sleep deprivation is not “you’ll be fine after coffee.” It’s “your body is quietly begging you to stop pretending you’re okay.”
Sleep Deprivation and Its Mental Health Impact.
Identity Erosion.
You start losing parts of yourself. Slowly. You’re not as funny. Not as sharp. Things you used to enjoy feel like chores.
People think you’re moody, dramatic, or antisocial, but really? You’re just not rested. Your true self is under there somewhere… but she’s drowning.
You can’t pour from an empty cup? LMAOOO! Some of us are trying to pour from a CRACKED MUG with cobwebs in it.
Your Brain Stops Trusting Itself.
You forget names mid-sentence. You’ll zone out mid-task and conversations. You probably can’t make decisions because every single one feels like too much.
Like… “Should I cook or order in?” turns into a mental breakdown. It’s wild and real.
Sleep-deprived brains become anxious, paranoid, and irrational and you won’t even notice until you’re knee-deep in it.
It’s Like Being Beaten Emotionally.
You cry easily. Snap randomly. Laugh at the wrong things. Your emotions? Unhinged.
You’ll start fights, ghost people, say things you don’t mean, then spend the night overthinking everything. You either feel everything too much… or nothing at all.
Depression and Anxiety Don’t Just Visit, They Move In.
Let’s be honest. Lack of sleep can fake a full-blown mental breakdown.
You feel hopeless, unmotivated, disconnected. Nothing makes sense. Nothing feels worth it. And when you go through that cycle enough times?
It becomes your normal. You can convince yourself you’re “just in a funk”… but really, your brain hasn’t had a chance to breathe in weeks.
It Makes You Mean. Even To Yourself.
You start talking to yourself like an enemy.
- “Why are you like this?”
- “Why can’t you just get it together?”
You call yourself lazy, useless, dramatic. But, you’re just exhausted.
Your inner critic gets LOUDER when your brain is running on 3 hours of broken sleep and survival-mode hormones.
And we don’t talk about that enough.
You Feel Guilty And Stupid.
You feel guilty for resting. If you finally lie down, your mind starts guilt-tripping you:
- “You didn’t do enough today.”
- “You should be productive right now.”
- “You’re wasting your time.”
Listen, you don’t have to earn rest. It’s your right.
You Lose Your Spark.
The dreams you once had? Too far.
Those creative ideas? Gone.
The version of you that used to plan, hope, build, imagine, LOL! She’s asleep at the wheel.
You’re just trying to get through the day. One. Hour. At. A. Time.
So Why Do We Still Romanticize Hustle Over Healing?
Because exhaustion has become a badge of honor.
“Oh my God, I only slept 4 hours!”
Cue applause!!
We treat rest like weakness. Like if you sleep 8 hours, you’re lazy. If you even cancel plans because you’re mentally tired, you’re flaky.
You’re not.
You’re just human.
And rest is not optional.
If you felt this in your chest, maybe it’s time to log off. Put your phone down. And go to bed. You’ll meet a better version of yourself on the other side.
